The air in the lobby was thick with the scent of overpriced floor wax and the low hum of a server room hidden somewhere behind the mahogany panels. Elias straightened his tie for the tenth time, his reflection in the glass door of Suite 404 looking more like a ghost than a software architect. He was here for "The Interview v1.0."

Elias didn't feel fear. He felt a sudden, terrifying clarity. The memories of his walk to the building, his breakfast, even his own name began to feel like "legacy code"—clunky, unnecessary, and ready for deletion.

"I’m Sarah," she said, her voice echoing with a slight digital artifact. "Let's begin the initial build. Tell me about a time you failed."

"Mr. Thorne? We’re ready for version one," a voice crackled through a hidden speaker.

Sarah smiled, and for the first time, she looked human. "Welcome to the team, Elias. Or should I say, v2.0?"

Before Elias could ask what that meant, the tablet on the podium flashed. A progress bar appeared in the air between them: .